Laboratory tray for medical technicians



April 30, 1957 D. J. SUTTON 2,790,547

LABORATORY TRAY FOR MEDICAL TECHNICIANS Filed oct. 1s, 1954 zd if EL if 6 Wha/*f l @a 26 z ZZ e Se@ ,Z W

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W .75| i l i/ v/ y "I 4 Il T, 9/ "2 i w INVENTOR g afdZJ/J 1.5'Z0ZZ0M) BY www, MJ/MMM ATTORNEY5 nite LABORATORY TRAY FUR MEDICAL TECHNICIANS This invention relates to a novel and improved tray for use by laboratory technicians in medical diagnosis.

In the taking of specimens of blood of a patient for diagnostic purposes, certain conventional equipment is used by the laboratory technical or physicians assistant, such as hypodermic needles, pipettes, and slides for blood smears; various accessory materials, such as Sponges, solutions of several kinds, and cards for records and notations must be readily available. This equipment and the accessory supplies are often carried by the technician in a receptacle or tray, but since there are no standard trays available for the purpose, the technician often supplies his or her own tray, which is ordinarily designed and arranged with less regard for convenience and ediciency than should be observed. In particular, adequate provision for the separation of used materials and equipment from fresh, sterile equipment is not provided; Very frequently the receptacle or tray comprises nothing more than an open pan in which the equipment is more or less randomly arranged.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the instant invention to provide a tray in which fresh equipment and materials are readily accessible and in which the used equipment, for instance, pipettes, slides containing blood smears, and the various test tubes required may be( replaced in orderly relationship, out of contact with one another, and secure from breakage upon even careless handling of the tray after taking samples.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a laboratory tray of the type indicated comprising a shallow receptacle or pan of rectangular outline, having a portion open at the upper side, which portion is divided into a plurality of compartments by partitions normal to the base of the receptacle, and having further portions of reduced depth. In one such portion there is a panel parallel to the base, the panel being provided with apertures dimensioned for the reception of certain necessary equipment, such as test tubes of dilferent sizes, containers for cotton, solution, and the like. It is a feature of the invention that certain of the aforesaid compartments are especially formed to receive, in spaced relation and against unintentional displacement, certain equipment units which have been used, such as pipettes, containing blood samples and slides bearing blood smears.

Further objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a technicians tray embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View on the line 2 2 of Figure 1; and

Figures 3 and 4 are sections taken substantially on the lines 3-3 and 4 4, respectively, of Figure 2.

Referring now to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, it will be perceived that my tray comprises a shallow rectangular pan or receptacle 10, which may be provided at opposite ends thereof with rigid handles 11, to assist in positioning the invention and may vary widely.

In general, the tray is seen to comprise three sectionsi of different depth. That section of greatest depth, having the base 13 ot the tray as its bottom wall, comprisesl an open portion which is divided into compartments by a1 plurality of suitably spaced partitions, normal to the base.' 13 of the tray. These partitions, and the compartments' defined thereby, are hereinafter more fully described. A. second section of intermediate depth is that provided bythe panel 18, spaced from and parallel with the base 13, having a depth suitable for the reception of blood slides containing smears, opposite walls defining this section being grooved as indicated at 19 to receive the slides in parallel spaced relation with the upper edges thereof projecting suciently above the tray to permit ready withdrawal. The third section of least depth is that afforded by panel 20, also parallel with the base 13, and preferably ilush with the upper edges of the tray 10. Panel 20 is provided with a plurality of apertures 22, dimensioned to receive a larger size test tube, apertures 23 accommodating a smaller size test tube, apertures 25 for the reception of jars holding respectively dry sponges or absorbent cotton, and alcohol saturated sponges, and apertures 26 to receive solution bottles. It will be observed that five bottle apertures are provided to accommodate the various solutions normally required, such as white counting solution, red counting solution, oXalate solution, alcohol, and haemoglobin. The purpose of providing the section 20 with considerable depth is to ensure that the test tubes, which extend through the apertures 22 and rest on the base 13 of the tray, will not be subject to accidental displacement, although it may be desirable, as assurance against damage to the test tubes, to provide a second panel 21, similarly apertured, below and parallel to the panel 20. The solution bottles will, of course, rest on the base 13, while the containers which tit in the apertures 25 may be provided with necks seat ing on the upper face of the panel 20, if desired.

Returning to the open portion of the tray, it will be noted that through the appropriate positioning of the various partitions, compartments suitably dimensioned for the reception of the various kinds of instruments are provided. Thus a narrow compartment 30 is adapted? to receive requisitions, records, and other cards bear-- ing various notations. Compartment 31 is suitable for the reception of clean pipettes which may simply be laid on the bottom of the compartment. Compartment 32 is provided adjacent opposite end walls with partitions 34 and 3S, respectively, the partition 34 being apertured as at 36 to receive the ends of charged pipettes, the opposite ends of the charged pipettes being laid in vertical slots 37 formed in partition 35, suitable spacers, for instance of cotton, being inserted between superposed pipettes receivedin the slotted partition to ensure against breakage by contact.

A compartment 40 serves for the reception of miscellaneous equipment and supplies for which no specific pro vision is made` Compartment 42 is dimensioned to re ceive hypodermic syringes, syringe needles, in sterile containers, being placed in compartment 44. Clean slides are stacked in a convenient manner in compartment 45.

It will be appreciated that the tray described herein is entirely adequate for the carrying in an orderly manner of all of the equipment conventionally required by the laboratory technician for the taking of blood samples and that the arrangement of the several sections of the tray to provide receptacles of varying depth affords the utmost:

Patented Apr. 30, 1957 arsenal convenience in removing and replacing the various items, while assuring against breakage by collision, especially of elements containing specimens obtained from the patient.

Whileztheinaterlalgoi which, the tray is termed may vary widely, itc is preferably; of--a lightweight inexpensive mateigialp such( as stainlessjsteel7V alii ininumgv or a, durable Pll'titre'sistant toheat and,corrosions and readily washed and,v sterilized. Alternatively, the, tray may be formed of porcelain, shatterproof'pdassi-` or; other moisture. and;- heat resistantlsubstances. The invention is not. primarily. con` ce nedieither with the material employed cr altn the process oi formingg and; uniting the, several components comprising the tray, and is not limited. in these respects.

` Having thus describeltheinvention, what is claimedy as ncwz ansia-'desired to bemalt-nitty Letters Patent SI' l. Aniedical laboratory technicianfstray comprising a relativelyz shallowl rectangular receptacle having a base and; side \valls, said trayhaving three sections of ditlferent depthy including-pa. section of maximum depth, open at its upper side and having thereinA a plurality of partitions normallv to the baseand projecting upwardly therefrom to prejvide inusuch section a plurality of compartments for the` reception of laboratory instruments and accessoriesv therefor,` upstanding partitions supported within one of said compartments in parallel relation with and adjacent opposite sides ofY such compartment, said last named partitions being recessed to receive within said compartment in. spaced parallel rei-ation a plurality of charged pipettes, another of said compartments being located adjacent to said last namedl compartment and adapted to receive a supply of fresh unused pipettes, a section of intermediate depth having an intermediate panel parallel to the base,

opposed walls of said last named section having complef ment-ary grooves therein to receive in parallel relation and normal to the base a pluralityl of blood slides, another of said compartments being located adjacent said last named section and adapted to receive a supply of fresh unused blood slides, and a section of minimum depth having an upper panel parallel to the base, said panel being provided with a plurality of apertures dimensioned to receive and support'in spaced parallel relation normal to the base a plurality of test tubes resting at their lower ends on said base, said upper panel bein@l provided with further apertures of larger dimension'rfor the reception of solution jars.

2. A medical laboratory technicians` tray comprising a relatively shallow rectangular receptacle having base and side walls, one section ofv said tray having therein a plu' rality of partitions normal lto the base and Vprojecting `up wardly therefrom to provide in suchsection a plurality of compartments for the reception of lahoratary instruaccessories therefor, a pair of upstanding partitions supported within one of said compartments in paral lel relationshipvwith and adjacent to opposite sidesof'said compartmennone of said pair of partitions having a plu* rality. of; vertical.V grooves Vtherein to receive srtaclged parallelvrelation theends of a plurality of chargedpipette's and the other of said pair of partitions having vertically spaced apertures to, receivev the opposite endsv of the charged: pipettes.

References Cited( the. le of this patent UN/lTED STATES PATENTS 362,lQ6 Pember May 3, 1887 5cl/3,044 Handlan Ian. 16, 1894 1,933,894 (l-ink Nov. 7, 1933 251259.63 Peilcer June 22, 1950 2,523,877 Pestolesi ept. 26, 1950 l FOREIGN PATENTS t 118,121V SwitzerlandY c Dec. i6, 1926 

